App designed to find nearest merchant

1 Mar A mobile app has been delivered to let builders know how close they are to the tools and materials that they need to purchase.

Buildiro provides a live database of builders' merchant inventory, although initially only in London

Buildiro provides a smart directory of local builders’ merchants and what they have in stock; type in ‘plasterboard’ and the app will direct you to the nearest source.

The app was conceived by Luke Polach two years ago when he managed a small construction firm in north London. On one job, he needed materials and used his phone to search for a local merchant. Google Maps told him the closest store was six miles away. But while stuck in traffic, he spotted a smaller merchant just a mile from the job site. Not only did this local supplier have everything Mr Polach needed, the products were actually cheaper than the larger retailer. The idea for Buildiro was born.

Buildiro is available in Google Play and Apple App stores from 2nd March.

The first phase covers Greater London only, where Buildiro is working with merchants to help them connect inventories to the app’s database. The aim is to roll it out to other cities later in the year.

“We created Buildiro to reduce the time that builders spend searching for supplies, and to help smaller, offline merchants get online,” said Buildiro founder and CEO Luke Polach. “Many of the smaller building-supply stores in London – as elsewhere – don’t have an online shop, and contractors cannot see what these sellers offer without visiting. Buildiro was designed to give local merchants better online visibility, and in the process, improve the efficiency of independent contractors.”